0. "Album title" Band (Genre) [score out of 10]
description. Recommended tracks: (If any particularly stand out.)
1. Compilation "20th Adversary of Emptiness" Demilich (Technical Death Metal) [10]
Normally I wouldn’t put reissues or compilations on my end of the year list but this contained some new tracks, and the audio quality of the old material sounds so much better than the past releases so the whole experience felt different. This is definitely worth picking up for any Demilich fans. Also highly recommended for any death metal fans or anyone looking for something unique. It’s rare to find a death metal band as creative or off the wall.
2. "Blackfinger" Blackfinger (Folk Rock/Doom Metal) [9]
The whole mood of the album makes me think of the month October. It has a contemplative feel that makes me think of the year coming to an end and reflecting on things that happened.
3. “Minoans” by Giant Squid (Progressive Rock/Doom Metal ) [9]
A little different than some of their old stuff but still great.
4. "Space Police - Defenders of the Crown" Edguy (Rock/Power Metal) [8]
Overall a really good album except for the cover song. However the album really picks up after that. Recommended Tracks: “The Realms of Baba Yaga”, “Do Me like a Caveman”, “Shadow Eaters” and “Alone in Myself”
5. “New Fathoms Down” Onward (Rock/Power Metal) [8]
It’s really cool that they were able to use those old tracks of the late Michael Grant. The audio quality is great on all the tracks and it really sounds like this was a final album they recorded in a studio together. Recommended Tracks: “New Fathoms Down”, and “I Will Be Waiting”
6. “Red Silence Lodge” Lethian Dreams (Atmospheric Doom Metal)[ 8]
Overall a big step up from their last album. Unfortunately the track “Dust” sounds like it has some technical issues. There is strange fluctuation in the audio at different points that doesn't sound like it was intentional.
7. “For Those Which Are Asleep” The Skull (Stoner/Doom Metal) [8]
Solid album but pretty straightforward.
8. "Worldshapers" Aurora Borealis (Black/Death Metal) [8]
It works well as an accompanying piece to its predecessor “Timeline: The Beginning and End of Everything”. However the former was the stronger on the two. Though “ Worldshapers” as a whole works fairly well, only one track really stood out from the others. Recommended Track: “The Oldest of Dilemmas”
9. "Digital Resistance" Slough Feg (Heavy Metal) [7]
Most of the songs lack the punch that Slough Feg usually has. The single “Laser Enforcer” and the title track were misleading. It’s still a pretty good album, I enjoyed it a lot more when I skipped the first track. It kind of killed the mood on my first listen. Recommended tracks: “Digital Resistance” and “Laser Enforcer”
10. “Roads To The North” Panopticon (Melodic/Atmospheric/ Folk Black Metal ) [7]
About half of the album was really good the rest didn’t do much for me.
Recommended Tracks: “Where Mountains Pierce the Sky” & “The Long Road Part…” (1-3)
11. “Spectral Tower” Spectral Tower (Atmospheric Doom Metal) [7]
One of my more interesting finds this year. It has a good haunting atmosphere, like a murky cloud that building up in a great brooding mass but never quite becomes a full on storm. The band still seems like they could use some work, but this is definitely a band to keep an eye on. Recommended Tracks: "Artifacts", "Elder Birth" and "Visions"
12. EP “Sword and Sorcery Heavy Metal” Cauldron Born (Power Metal) [7]
I really enjoyed this EP however I had a few issues with it. On the new tracks the guitar solos sound kind of sloppy and Jim Mullis vocals sound kind of wonky at times.
13. “Rervm” Lotus Thief (Atmospheric Post Rock/ Metal) [7]
Blends a lot of styles together and fairly unique. I can’t quite think of a band similar to them. Recommended Track: Miseras
14. “Human Reset” Derdian (Power Metal) [7]
This is the first album I have heard by Derdian, it takes me as an album that is hurt by trying too hard to sound like its contemporaries and not doing much to make it stand out. Fans of power metal bands like Rhapsody of Fire, Mob Rules, and Dark Moor will probably enjoy it. However “Human Reset” really doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from those bands and much of the album is rather forgettable. Recommended Tracks: “Human Reset”, “In Everything”, “Mafia”, and “Write Your Epitaph”
15. “Unleash the Fire” Riot V (Power Metal) [7]
I kind of felt weird about picking this album since its their first album without Mark Reale, and the only other Riot album I currently own is Narita. It’s a decent album but felt kind of generic and didn't have anything really outstanding on it. Recommended Tracks: “Ride Hard Live Free”, “Fall from the Sky” and “Land of the Rising Sun”
16. "Spectres of Revocable Loss" Cross Vault (Doom Metal) [7]
Overall the album is composed very well but only 2 tracks stood out. "A Query In Chains" is a rather outstanding and I highly recommended doom metal fans check it out. Recommended Tracks: "A Query In Chains" and "Home"
17. "As the Stars" Woods of Desolation (Post Black Metal) [7]
A decent album but beyond the first track nothing really grabbed me. Recommended track: “Like Falling Leaves”
18. "Foundations of Burden" Pallbearer (Doom Metal) [7]
I found it to be much less inspired then “Sorrow and Extinction”.
19. “Light of Dawn” Unisonic (Power Metal) [7]
Well Hansen and Kiske finally gave us a song that matches the quality on the "Keeper…" albums. For one track its Helloween again, unfortunately the rest of the album is kind of boring. It has a few more decent tracks but nothing really great. Recommended Track: “Your Time Has Come"
20. “Blood of Legends” Battleroar (Epic Heavy Metal) [7]
Recommended Tracks: “Poisoned Well”, “Immortal Chariot”, and ”Exile Eternal”
21. "VI: Flora" Botanist (experimental black metal) [7]
It’s a good album but the vocals are to low in the mix. It’s the buzzing and ringing music accompanied by the harsh grumbled vocals that give me what I want from Botanist. “IV: Mandragora” did a much better job of balancing everything and I vastly prefer it over "VI: Flora".
22. Split "Falls of Rauros / Panopticon" Panopticon (Black Metal) [7]
The score is only for the Panopticon side of the split, as I Listened to it from Panopticon's bandcamp page and never actually listened to the Falls of Rauros side of the split.
23. “Riddle of Steel” Sons of Crom (Epic Heavy Metal) [7]
Started out great, but after the first track nothing grabbed my interest.
Recommended Track: Myrkrarfar
24. “Suspended at Aphelion” While Heaven Wept (Atmospheric Power/Doom Metal) [7]
“Vast Oceans Lachrymose” is the only other ” While Heaven Wept album I currently own which is an album I really enjoy. However “Suspended at Aphelion” I found to be pretentious and dull. “Icarus and I” is a really misleading track as its brief black metal segments made me anticipate a much more intense album, when in reality the bulk of the album is slow and atmospheric; and seems like its building up to something that never happens. When the last track cut off I was left thinking “That was it?”, and after repeated listens it’s still just as disappointing.
25. "Empire of the Undead" Gamma Ray (Power Metal) [6]
Started off great with “Avalon”, then the whole rest of the album felt like they were just going through the motions. It seems like Kai Hansen was more focused on his work with Unisonic.
26. “Return of the Reaper” Grave Digger (Heavy/Power Metal ) [6]
Sounds like a bunch of filler tracks from their other albums. With boring uninspired lyrics that seem like they were written in an afternoon, the whole album is just blah blah HELL, blah blah, DEATH, blah blah SHADOWS, blah blah DEMON. Recommended Track: “Tattooed Rider”
27. “Dark Horse” Craving Angel (Glam Rock/Heavy Metal) [6]
Other than the cool vocalist Bud Hughes this really doesn't have much to offer. The album that came to mind while listening to it was Pantera’s “Power Metal” but doesn't quite have the same energy or excitement. Was disappointed that there wasn't any lyrics or interviews included within the booklet. When an album is released over 20 years after the songs were recorded I really want to get some more background information.
28. "Oracles" Zaum (Middle Eastern/Doom Metal) [6]
29. "Oscuropasso" Doctor Cyclops (Hard Rock/Doom Metal) [6]
30. "The Rock Dinosaur" Blaze (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal) [6]
Not as exciting as their full length back in 2007. Recommended Track: “Shed Light on Dark”
31. "Orisonata" Orisonata (Symphonic/Progressive Metal)[5]
Some more saxophone would be cool, songwriting needs improving.
32. "Night Of The Hammer" by Dawnbringer (Heavy Metal) [5]
Overall just a big step down from the last album.
Reccomended Track: "One-Eyed Sister"
